Cold blast coming to Eastern North Carolina

A cold front pushing through the state is expected to reach New Bern this week, bringing with it one of the coldest nights so far this winter. Casey Dail, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport, said Arctic wind riding on the front could drop temperatures significantly Tuesday night compared to the past weekend.

A cold front pushing through the state is expected to reach New Bern this week, bringing with it one of the coldest nights so far this winter.

Casey Dail, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport, said Arctic wind riding on the front could drop temperatures significantly Tuesday night compared to the past weekend.

The cold front was expected to reach Craven County Monday night, bringing the first taste of the “Artic-type air” from the northeast, Dail said. Temperatures were expected to fall just below freezing Monday night, in the upper 20s or low 30s, she said.

“It will really get here Tuesday and Tuesday night,” Dail said, adding that overnight temperatures on Tuesday will likely be in the teens.

“It will be slow to warm up over the next couple of days,” she said. “But it will slowly start to moderate.”

However, Saturday and Sunday temperatures are expected to dip into the 40s, which is slightly below normal, Dail said.

Normal temperatures for New Bern at this time of year are in the mid-50s during the day and mid-30s overnight, she said. Temperatures were in the 60s Saturday though Monday.

Stanley Connor, owner of Pipe Works Plumbing at 1267 Colony Trade Center, said people who have homes with exposed pipes should make sure they are well insulated. People with well pumps should place a heat lamp near the pipes to keep them from freezing, he said.

“Usually, with the standard house that has underpinning, there are no problems,” Connor said. “Over the last few years, we haven’t seen many problems. I don’t know if people are getting smarter protecting their pipes or it’s just not as cold as usual. I’m not sure. We haven’t seen many problems. Maybe some other plumbers have.”

Sheila Barnes, co-owner of Williams Farm and Garden Center on Old Cherry Point Road, said anyone who has plants outside in planters needs to protect them so the containers will not freeze.

“When you have an extended period, like a week of freezing temperatures, the chance of planters freezing is greater,” Barnes said.

Plants in the ground that are not covered may also need pine straw and mulch, Barnes said.

“There is not much you can do if the buds have started to swell,” she said. “In a cold snap, you will lose that flower, whether it is cherry or pear trees.”

People also should remember their pets during a cold period, Barnes said. If animals live outside or in a barn, they might need an extra bale of hay or a light in the chicken coop, she said.

Eddie Fitzgerald can be reached at 635-5675 or at eddie.fitzgerald@newbernsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @staffwriter3.